I’ve been thinking a lot about fear. Fear. FEAR. Maybe it’s because of the pandemic. Who knows? But I’m convinced that we’re walking around with a whole lot more fear than we’re aware of – and that it’s doing a whole lot more harm than we might imagine.

Please let me explain. Sometimes our fears express themselves in obvious ways: I don’t like snakes, so I break out in a sweat when I see a copperhead on my driveway! Obvious. At other times, however, our fears are more subtle. The signs of fear aren’t as clear. Perhaps I’m fearing an upcoming appointment with a doctor, but I find myself angrily snapping at one of my kids. Not quite as obviously fear, but fear nonetheless, which I can discern if I’ll allow myself the time and energy to process the real source of what seems – at surface level – more like impatience or irritation.

Sometimes fear expresses itself as obsessive talking or some form of compulsive ritualistic behavior. If I put all my energy into arranging and rearranging the books on my shelf, that can feel like a medicine which soothes – temporarily at least – my fear of some life situation over which I have absolutely no control at all. What I’m saying is that we don’t always know when we’re afraid, and certainly not the extent of our fear in the moment.

In our Christian circles, and I see this more and more in these days of COVID-19, people speak of “faith” as being the antidote to fear. I know what they mean by that: we must trust God with every dimension of our lives, and not succumb to the false notion that we can create some kind of reality which is devoid of all risk. Of course that’s true, but I’d like to offer a slight course correction if I may. Faith is not the antidote to fear, but love is. Love is the antidote to fear. I believe that with everything in me.

On this point, I’d like to beckon the matchless wisdom of the Scriptures. Specifically, I find First John 4:18 to be highly instructive for my own heart, and perhaps it will strike a chord with you: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

I hope that I can make sense of what I want to express by way of this statement because I really think this matters: any love that doesn’t come from God eventually breeds anxiety. Where divine love isn’t, fear is. You see, friends, human love demands human meriting. You and I are kind of hardwired that way. We’re generally comfortable with the idea of earning, and we’re generally nervous about the idea of freely receiving. That’s why understanding grace isn’t natural for us: only the Spirit of Christ can open our eyes to comprehend the free grace of Jesus! Until we really grasp the good news of the gospel, all we can experience is imperfect love. Even our best-intentioned friends and family members love us imperfectly. And how do we love others? Let’s be honest: unbelievably imperfectly! We’re entirely human after all.

Only the God who knows us fully can love us with a love that is truly unconditional! Let that sink in.

And it’s that love, and that love only, which casts out fear. That’s what the Bible means by “perfect love.”

While we’re rolling along here, I’d like to expand our horizons. Fear never travels alone. In fact, Fear has some relentlessly stubborn companions. I don’t have to introduce you to Failure, Freaked, and Frozen, because you’re already well acquainted. You and I have some God-given healthy fears, of course, but we’re also dogged by some nasty fears which always try to run the show. We need love. We need the gospel. We need Jesus.

With your blessing, I’d like to further unpack some of these themes in my next few blog postings. Until then, I’ll leave you with the words of the angel who spoke peace to those frightened shepherds near Bethlehem: “FEAR NOT!”

Pastor Charles

“I do not think the devil cares how many churches you build, if only you have lukewarm preachers and lukewarm people in them.” That’s a sobering quote from Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Even more sobering is a quote from Jesus (Revelation 3:16): “Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Christ’s words were included in a letter to the proud church at Laodicea, but surely they are also words of warning for every generation.

The city of Laodicea, near what is now Denizli (Turkey), got its water from a location about five miles away. Remarkably, the Romans had pioneered a system of wooden pipes which was quite impressive. But, though the water started out the perfect temperature for a nice bath, by the time it reached this modern city it was no longer hot. It wasn’t fresh, because the long journey through the aqueducts had filled it with sediment. Nor was it cold. The water was lukewarm. So, as Jesus confronts these wayward people, He capitalizes on their daily grind to make His point.

Friends, lukewarm water is about as refreshing as a stagnant puddle. And we must understand something exceptionally important about this text: Christ isn’t telling these people that they’re “less devout” or “less passionate” than others, but He is telling them that they’re condemned. They are deceived. These people think they’re smart, and they think they’re rich, and Jesus makes it clear that they’re neither. They think they belong to Christ, but they clearly do not.

A lukewarm person feels spiritually self-sufficient. In A.D. 60, Laodicea had been completely destroyed by a major earthquake. Instead of accepting foreign aid, the citizens rebuilt the city on their own. But their “success story” had gone to their heads, and they now viewed themselves as strong and in fact invincible. This erroneous self-assessment was symptomatic of a crippled spiritual self-understanding as well.

A lukewarm person banks on their own goodness. Speaking of banking, Laodicea was a strategic center of commerce, and particularly a finance mecca. When Jesus labeled the Laodiceans “poor,” they likely had no idea what He meant. We know that our Lord was referring to their spiritual condition, but that probably escaped them. For those of us whose eyes have been opened to see the folly of our own “goodness,” this is a clarion wakeup call: amazing grace, how sweet the sound! We have no righteousness but Christ’s.

A lukewarm person walks by sight, and not by faith. Instead of leaning on the everlasting arms, the Laodiceans were leaning on themselves. After all, there’s no reason to trust God when you’re trusting in what you’ve achieved and attained. The Laodiceans took tremendous pride in their advanced medical community, particularly in their eye doctors. It must have been a rude awakening for Jesus to declare them “blind.” How thankful you and I should be for the marvelous gospel of Christ which has given us resurrection life by the power of the Holy Spirit!

A lukewarm person imagines themself as better than others. It’s easy to think highly of yourself when the standard of righteousness is you. That’s why it’s so natural for us to see the sin in other people’s lives more quickly and clearly than we see our own. Jesus used the word “naked” to describe these people. Imagine that! Laodicea was a textile center, where fabrics for the world’s most gorgeous clothing could be found. But they were the last to know that everything in which they prided themselves only exposed their spiritual bankruptcy and shame.

In the same passage, our Lord Jesus promises that He “stands at the door and knocks.” His gracious invitation is incredibly good news in light of our propensity to trample over Christ’s righteousness in blind allegiance to our own.

The English Puritan Walter Marshall said it like this: “Your heart is addicted to salvation by works.”

Lukewarm.

O God, may it never be said of us!

Pastor Charles

In California, the decision by the elders of Grace Community Church to defy their governor’s coronavirus lockdown orders for churches has caused quite a stir. A nationwide stir in fact! GCC is the congregation in Sun Valley (metro L.A.) where Pastor John MacArthur leads at the helm, and the church has served for decades as a training ground for sound doctrine and expositional preaching. Grace Church models Christian hospitality by hosting a widely influential annual conference for pastors from around the world, which I’ve attended about a dozen times over the years. (As I’m writing this blog posting, Pastor John is being threatened with significant fines and possible jail time, and the church is facing the loss of its utilities.)

How are we to interpret this development? What I’d like to do today is walk you through my personal take on the key issues which are at stake for all of us. I recognize that, even here at First Baptist Paducah, we’re not all in complete agreement about masks and mandates. That being acknowledged, perhaps all of us can benefit from an attempted objective analysis of our calling to serve Christ faithfully within this present pandemic context. (This is not by any stretch an exhaustive treatment of this subject, but at least it’s a start.)

Our general posture should be obedience toward government.

Probably the most concise Biblical instruction on this point is found in Romans 13:1-7. In general, the institution of human government is designed by God to promote order, peace, and safety. These are never achieved perfectly this side of heaven, but we are to view the authorities over us as gifts from the Lord, and instruments of His gracious righteousness here on earth. Jesus taught us plainly (Matthew 22:21) that we should give to “Caesar” what we rightfully owe him. Just as anarchy is a form of godless chaos, so is proper government a blessing for all of humankind.

We are called to worship God alongside other believers.

Hebrews 10:25 makes this abundantly clear, as does the entire narrative of Scripture. We gather together regularly to sing praise, participate in the ordinances of the church, and come under the preaching of God’s Word, among other things. These corporate functions of the local church are central to the Christian life, and not to be neglected by any one of us. That being said, we must recognize that restrictions on building use are not the same as outright restrictions against the gospel, so each situation where freedom feels curtailed requires nuanced consideration in the light of Biblical wisdom.

We should be promoters of peace as we demonstrate selfless love for our neighbor.

We weren’t put here to pick an unnecessary fight, or to enflame people with needlessly divisive rhetoric. Again, I’ll take you to Matthew 22, but this time to Verses 33-40. I hope that I’m advising you correctly when I say that you and I should accommodate public health advisories and restrictions whenever and wherever that is possible. The reason is simple: it is a practical demonstration of love for our neighbors. Adherence to such rules may mean some temporary discomfort for us, but the positive Christian witness is worth the cost.

There are exceptional circumstances when fidelity to Christ demands disobedience to government.

As I unpacked recently as part of our current sermon series, Acts 5:29 is an example of appropriate and righteous civil disobedience. As major contributors to the canon of Scripture, both Paul and Peter would teach respect for secular authority, but both men would be executed by the Roman Empire for refusing to cease preaching the gospel. Similarly, we remember glowing examples from the Old Testament, such as some of my favorite Bible heroes: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:1-30). Jesus is always our highest authority, but it’s my contention that civil disobedience is justified only when we face a true and unresolvable conflict between divine law and human law.

We should contend for religious freedom for all people.

It should be a concern for us that, in Nevada for example, casinos and churches are treated differently in terms of autonomy and restrictiveness. It should matter to us that California’s Governor Newsom is encouraging shouting when it happens at protests but forbidding singing when it happens in pews. These discrepancies sow seeds of distrust among the general public, and thus weaken the fabric of our democracy. The Free Exercise Clause of our First Amendment should matter to all of us, and we should seek to preserve and protect it. In America, the Bill of Rights exists to defend all minorities, including religious minorities. Religious freedom, specifically, is a taste of spiritual freedom, generally. And the very best way to preserve religious liberty is to exercise it regularly.

We should be humble and gracious in attitude and behavior.

This principle applies to our interactions with fellow believers, and with the watching world. Just like nobody else has all the answers right now, we must acknowledge that neither do we. We’re all learning about a virus that wasn’t even on our radar screen in early 2020, and we owe each other the benefit of the doubt. Kindness, compassion, and civility always matter for followers of Christ, whether we’re talking about our response to a mask-wearing regulation, or our compliance with mandated mechanisms for contact tracing. We can disagree with policies, but we should seek to do so graciously. We always represent the King of Kings!

As we recognize the impermanence, instability, and limitations of this world and its power structures, we should long zealously for our real home.

Let’s get real for a minute. There are two extremes to be avoided right now. One is a posture so fearful that every act of government is viewed as a sinister conspiracy against us. The other is a perspective so naive that we give up our precious and hard-earned liberties without so much as a squabble. Let’s seek to avoid both extremes, friends! But here’s the deal: in human history, rarely are “emergency powers” easily relinquished once the emergency has passed. That’s simply not the nature of power. Our world has been changed by COVID-19, and we shouldn’t expect to recover the fullness of the “normal” we used to know. When you and I are tempted to grow despondent over that, we need to remember that we’re only pilgrims here. We mustn’t, ultimately, count on any human court to save the day. Our supreme trust is in the Savior par excellence, and He has told us that this world is not our home.

We’ve a better home awaitin’!

Pastor Charles

From my vantage point, what’s often called “The Olivet Discourse” in Matthew 24 speaks distinctively to our present global crisis. And it’s not just anyone’s voice in my ear that drowns out all the others right now, but it’s the very voice of Jesus. The very words of Jesus. Jesus.

This is not a blog posting on the general subject of eschatology, or an essay in support of any particular “end-times” theological position, but it’s simply a pastoral perspective on the brokenness that is all around us. We are broken right now, friends. Terribly broken. Sometimes I’ll bet you’re wondering if the world and its systems are unraveling right before our eyes.

What I’m going to attempt today is a brief devotional based on seven of the profound warnings found in this great text, and it is my contention that these warnings nearly jump off the proverbial page! Perhaps you’ll find them of some value.

1. “See that no one leads you astray.”

This is perhaps the dominant theme of this critical communication by Christ. Jesus is speaking to us here, and He is reminding you and me to keep our eyes wide open! Surely this applies perfectly to a cultural climate where every arm of media and messaging is suspect, and where nearly everyone competes to be the voice of authority. So much so that we’re skeptical of every “authority”. Don’t fall asleep! Test the spirits! Walk straight ahead, in the light of God’s truth, and don’t let yourself be pulled to the left or the right!

2. “See that you are not alarmed.”

Keep your head! This is a time for shrewd cool-headedness, not foolish hot-headedness. Through each of its chapters, all of human history is moving steadily toward its overarching and ultimate purpose: the kingdom and glory of the Lord manifested on earth as it is in heaven! Matthew 24 is a vivid and gorgeous reminder of God’s absolute sovereignty over every symptomatic (I’m referring to the disease of sin) outbreak of global chaos. You and I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow!

3. “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

I believe that Christ’s statement here is descriptive of disruptive disagreement and discord at the macro- and the micro-level. Predicted conflict is one thing when we think about Russia threatening one of its European neighbors, but it’s an entirely different thing when we consider large groups of evangelical Christians in America writing each other off over their differing views on COVID-19. This is not theoretical. It is happening now. This single pandemic has indelibly unsettled relationships in governments, churches, and homes. And it’s not over, so heads up!

4. “They will deliver you up to tribulation.”

I don’t like writing it any more than you like reading it, but read it we must. Jesus has sounded the alarm! We can try to explain it away, or we can humble ourselves, and cry out to our faithful Father for the divine grace that we need to walk through this present disease and its accompanying spiritual darkness. I don’t have to tell you that, when people get scared, they’ll stomp on anybody whom they perceive to be the culprit. But Christ’s admonition for us (Matthew 10:16) remains: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

5. “You will be hated.”

Ouch. I guess it’s that simple. You and I will strive to proclaim the truth, but our truthful words won’t always fall on open ears and tender hearts. You and I will live as pursuers of peace and justice, but from our angle that trek won’t always go well, at least not this side of heaven. Jesus was despised and rejected. Should you and I expect better treatment? When we adjust our life expectations to fit the Biblical narrative, instead of trying to adjust the Biblical narrative to fit our life expectations, we can experience a kind of contentment that we never knew was possible. We need that. Now.

6. “Many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.”

Many, not few. Jesus is clear. As truth, and even the nature of truth itself becomes more and more occluded and uncertain, so will the spiritual casualties steadily mount all around us! We must expect it because our Lord has spoken it. If that malaise is indeed what we’re beginning to see now, I cannot tell you with absolute certainty, but I can challenge you to assess the situation for yourself. When I see the ire on Twitter aimed at professing believers by professing believers, my mind races to this chapter. Only God knows the details for sure, and Jesus made that clear. But we must always be alert and vigilant as we interpret the times.

7. “The love of many will grow cold.”

I think this is the heart of the matter. (Pun fully intended.) False teachers may be partly responsible for this enlarging lovelessness. Some of the explanation may be the persecution and fear of death which mark the period of history which Jesus is describing here. But I want to challenge you to ponder this question: when it comes to our own gospel fidelity, could this be our most vulnerable spot? What I’m saying is that you and I must never allow the pervasive bitterness and rage of the majority culture, which is nearly undeniable at present, to invade and capture our own souls.

God, heal us! God, restore us! God, revive us! God, enflame us with Your love!

Jesus doesn’t leave us hopeless, does He? So back to our text for one more look …

“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

There it is. And there is here. Your marching orders, and mine, are clear: “Endure.”

Endure.

Endure.

Pastor Charles

We remember the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Before Bonhoeffer was martyred for standing against the brutal Nazi regime, he penned that famous line to remind us that sacrifice and suffering are part of the Christian life. The way of the cross was the way of Jesus, and it will be our way too. There is no other way for the true follower of Christ.

But we forget that. Whether we acknowledge it openly or not, we all fall into the trap of thinking that real suffering is for believers in other parts of the world. Not here. And, before you know it, we’re attempting to line up our understanding of Christianity with our American experience, instead of lining up our thinking with the Bible. If we had kept God’s Word front and center, we would have remembered our Lord’s clear teaching (Matthew 16:24-26): “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?”

Perhaps, friend, you’re suffering right now, and trying to make sense of it. You are not alone, and you likely know that, but that knowledge doesn’t make everything better all at once. Suffering is hard. So hard! And we’re never really prepared for it. There seems always to be an element of shock that comes with a new round of suffering: “Why me?” “Why now?” “Why this?”

My purpose in sharing today’s blog posting is to help you fly higher over your life, even if for only a moment, so that you can see your circumstances just a little more clearly. I need that vantage point, for myself, on a regular basis. Sometimes I have to ask a trusted sister or brother in Christ to speak into my ears the grace and truth of a bigger gospel story. When I’m suffering alone, and disconnected from other believers, it’s next to impossible for me to see the bigger and wonderful story which God is writing in and through my life. And He’s using my suffering, among many other tools, in order to accomplish that work of eternal value.

When you feel like you’re in the FIRE of suffering, I want to share with you a little acrostic that I’ve worked up that may bring some understanding, acceptance, and peace. I hope you find it helpful. But, before we go any further, I want you to read slowly Romans 5:1-4. (I purposefully won’t include that text here, so that you’ll open the Scriptures for yourself. That’s super important today.)

Fallenness.

In this great passage, Paul is helping us understand what it means that we have been “justified” in Christ. Notice that our justification is all the work of Christ. And notice that Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf is the only reason we have peace with God. But why did Christ have to die for us? Because our world is spiritually broken. I’m emphasizing our “fallen” nature because I want you to wrap your heart around the condition of the entire human race, as well as the condition of every world philosophy, system, and government. It’s all broken. Sometimes you and I suffer simply because this world is not functioning the way it was designed to function. It’s as simple as that. Coming to terms with the general fallenness of humankind might be the first step toward embracing our present suffering.

Irresponsibility.

Let’s face the facts. Everybody we know is a sinner in thought, word, and deed. And so are we. All of us have made more than our share of absolutely terrible choices. We continue to make poor and destructive choices, at least on occasion. When we make sinful and selfish decisions, we suffer, and others suffer directly or indirectly. What I’m saying is that you and I contribute to some of the circumstances which result in our suffering. (Not all, but some. It’s important to remember that detail.) Here’s my point: though personal suffering tempts us to employ the “blame game” indiscriminately, we should seek to avoid that. Ask the Lord to search your heart. Paul says that we have “access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” If and when we need forgiveness, it is ours for the asking. Perhaps we’ll even find ourselves, like Jesus, praying for our enemies to be forgiven.

Rescue.

Sometimes our suffering is God’s discipline. We rarely even speak of this, perhaps because we’re so afraid to connect those dots. But that just goes to show that you and I don’t understand God’s discipline: His discipline is love (Hebrews 12:5-11). All His ways are love. God wants nothing but the very best for us! Consider again Paul’s words to the Romans: Christ is pouring His amazing grace into our thirsty souls over and over again! The Holy Spirit is ours, and we are His, and His great work in us is all of grace. This is true even in seasons of chastisement. It is all for our good, and for His glory.

Empowerment.

We can’t get away from this beautiful passage without noticing God’s highest plans for us, in and through the fiery trials we face: endurance, character, and hope. These become realities in us only through our sufferings. What I’m saying is that, though you and I want to avoid suffering, God wants to redeem suffering! His ways are not our ways, but His ways can be trusted. Next to Jesus, I think Tim Keller says it best: “Christianity teaches that, contra fatalism, suffering is overwhelming; contra Buddhism, suffering is real; contra karma, suffering is often unfair; but contra secularism, suffering is meaningful. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly, it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine.”

So, heads up, my beloved church family! We’re almost home!

Pastor Charles

How do we know when we’ve lost our awareness of the holiness of God? I would submit to you that this is one of the most significant questions we could ponder today. If something is broken, but we don’t know it’s broken, we can’t possibly fix it.

Let me clarify from the outset what I mean by “holiness,” because for some of us the very word conjures up negative images of stiff and stodgy people who care more about critiquing others than exuding the life-giving grace of Jesus Christ. When our God describes Himself as “holy,” He is referring to His infinite distinctness from all that is evil. God is our perfectly pure Creator to Whom we will one day fully answer, and this should cause us to fear Him, in the sense that He captures our awe and respect. For Christ-followers, specifically, God is also our Father. If you ever had or still have a healthy relationship with your earthly father or mother, then you know something of what it means to regard someone with both love and respect.

But that’s not the end of the Bible’s treatment of the subject of holiness, because God calls us to holiness as well. I could cite numerous passages including Isaiah’s vision from which I drew today’s title, but I’ll simply refer you to First Peter 1. Check out that great chapter before you read any further.

So, when it comes to God’s holiness, how do we know when we’re off-base?

Callousness.

It is the natural tendency of every person, and every congregation, to drift away from a red-hot realization of God’s holiness. We drift naturally. As the old hymn put it: we are “prone to wander.” We get lazy in our spiritual disciplines. We get negligent in the intentional discipleship of our children. We shrink back from evangelism. We let fears overwhelm us. We crave the world’s applause. These things don’t generally transpire overnight, but more often it’s inch-by-inch. And I would submit that each one of those behaviors I listed shares a common denominator: we have forgotten God. Or at least we’ve dethroned Him in our hearts. A person is “calloused” when they’re no longer moved by what really matters. Lord, forgive us! You and I must never cease to pray for personal and corporate (remember, we’re part of a body) revival.

Casualness.

The very definition of “holiness” communicates separation. God is set apart. We as His people are set apart. But we can lose our distinctively Christ-honoring character by failing to keep it straight that we’re the creatures and not the Creator. We’re the dependent ones. We’re the desperate beggars. It’s true that, in Christ, God has become our Friend. But God is not like our other friends, and we must never treat Him as such. He is “high and exalted,” to steal again from the ancient prophet. He abhors the adulteries of Babylon, and so must we. Always remember that “reverence” is not a style of music or worship, but a proper posture of the human heart toward a sovereign and omnipotent God. And real reverence never goes out of style.

Conflict.

Notice also in the text our call to “brotherly love.” This love isn’t cooked up by our positive thinking or by the natural effervescence of our personality, but Peter tells us its precise origin: Christlike love comes from knowing the “imperishable seed” of “the living and abiding word of God.” We must never try to anchor our sense of right and wrong in anything impermanent, which is the incessant and alluring whisper of the culture in our ear, but only in the Lord’s Word. Here’s my point: when we as believers are experiencing disharmony among ourselves, we can rest assured that someone has lost their spiritual footing. Conflict among the saints, which can lead eventually to utter turmoil and chaos, is a sure sign that worldliness has invaded the church.

Carelessness.

Notice that Peter calls his gospel message “good news!” There’s a direct correlation between gospel joy and holy living. We stumble and fall when we’re not walking in the light of truth. And we take others down with us. Without the cross and resurrection remaining front-and-center in our affections, we have no power to overcome being overwhelmed by the world’s lifeless idols and false worship. (Imagine a spiritual and universal version of COVID-19.) So here’s my last question: is the gospel still good news to you? If it’s been a while since you delighted in our sin-conquering and forever-risen Savior, today might be a great day for that. When we taste the beauty and glory of Christ, without fear of judgment because of what He has accomplished for us, our battle against sin can be driven by love. You see, friends, we don’t brush up on important doctrines so that we can fill our heads with information, but we brush up on important doctrines so that God can fill our hearts with praise!

As you’ve just read in God’s Word, you and I have been “born again to a living hope.” It just doesn’t get any better than that. We’ve been caught up in the greatest love story that’s ever been written.

And, at the heart of that timeless story, is the Lord our God Himself. He is Holy, Holy, Holy indeed!

Pastor Charles

My friend Mark Medlin was driving home from Missouri, where he had enjoyed his grandson’s double-header. Mark noticed en route a lighted church sign: “Jesus is God’s selfie.” That message blessed Mark, and he shared that beautiful thought with Eileen and me via text message on Independence Day (at 7:41 p.m. here in Massachusetts). That very evening, while admiring Cape Cod Bay, I snapped this photograph before I had a chance to read Mark’s text.

Enter Providence, Stage Right. As I later reflected (pun fully intended) on Mark’s message, I was reminded of a compelling verse (Hebrews 1:3) and its gorgeous description of our Lord Jesus: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power …

As I celebrated the Fourth of July here in Plymouth, I found the unofficial fireworks over the ocean to be invigorating after a coronavirus shutdown, but what most captivated me was that dazzling moon. That grand celestial body was announcing the glory of God by reflecting the light of the sun. I believe that the Lord of all creation was calling out that night, to every creature: “Worship Me!”

Our Bluegrass State is famously known for some song lyrics: “The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home.” But do we really take it in? Rays of sunlight don’t travel 93 million miles through empty space to go unnoticed, friends! If we’ll only give it a moment’s consideration, we’ll recognize the incredible magnitude of the sun’s power. So it is with Christ. When we take the time to notice His amazing attributes as they’re revealed to us in Scripture, we find ourselves tasting the very character of God. Because Jesus is God’s selfie.

That glorious summer night, not only was the moon reflecting the sunlight, but so was the water. It was as if the sea itself was continuing God’s painting, and stroking the divine paintbrush right in my direction! I was overwhelmed as I began to recognize that others, in every corner of America, were experiencing what I was experiencing. My friend Elena Watkins described the moon as “magical” and uplifting over her Texas lake, and that increases my delight. Joy shared is joy magnified!

Another message came my way via Facebook. My California friend Jan Matz commented on my photo to remind me of something special: wherever we are, God brings the light right to us. He loves each of us that much. Said Jan: “Our God is just like that. He’s very personal.”

I’m so glad that Jesus came. Had we only the sun, moon, and stars, we would know there is a God, but we wouldn’t know His name. Jesus came to live the life that we failed to live, and to die the death that we deserved. FOR US! And He rose again so that His light could shine not just in the heavens, but in our hearts (see 2 Cor 4:6). That brings the gospel message of Hebrews 1:3 full circle.

… After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High …

Saturday was a spectacular day. From across the fruited plain, literally, I was reminded of the beauty and excellence of Christ. Now you have been too. So don’t make the rocks shout His praise because you won’t.

Worship Him!

Pastor Charles

Sometimes it’s good to get back to the basics. Don’t you agree? In a world of trolls and clickbait, where hysteria happens as quickly as headlines, I find myself longing more and more for a firm foundation. Maybe you do too. Good news: we have one!

The scene was Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13-20; in order to get the most out of today’s blog posting, please read this passage carefully). In a critical conversation that was transpiring among Jesus and His disciples, our Lord posed the million-dollar question: “Who do you say that I am?”

When Simon Peter declares, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” those ten words become a total game-changer. This is the first and only confession of Jesus as “the Christ” in this Gospel account. Friends, I would humbly submit that this is the foundation for which you and I are searching. In fact, four of these ten words are definite articles in the original language.

Christ is the One.

“Christ” is simply the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” Does the absolute uniqueness and exclusivity of Jesus still matter? I think it matters immensely and immeasurably, and here’s why: the moment for us to GET JESUS RIGHT is NOW. Right now!

I want you to consider another passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. Though his authority will eventually be ended, Antichrist will rule for a season of time. Only the Holy Spirit is presently restraining Satan from orchestrating this. I believe that evil is held back by the influence of the church on the culture, via human governments, and through other divinely empowered means which we can’t often perceive. But the day is coming when all restraint will be lifted. This “lawless one” will use fake signs and faux miracles to deceive everyone who does not know CHRIST.

If we don’t get Jesus right, we will be “shaken in mind” by the affairs of this world – just as Paul warns. So, back to Matthew, “Who do you say that I am?” becomes the most important question we’ll ever answer.

Christ is God.

Every major religion, as well as every significant cultic group, rejects the deity of Jesus Christ. Some of these objections are the result of rationalism: “reason” is supreme, not God or God’s Word. Others have simply never been taught the Scriptures. A common objection results from revisionist history, which claims that Christ’s deity was invented at the Council of Nicaea in the 4^th Century. But you and I must never forget that, if we deny the deity of Jesus, then we do not know God as Father (1 John 2:23).

Christ is “the Son of the living God!” It’s not just His office or His role that makes Jesus unique – it’s His very nature and being! It’s neither postmodern nor politically correct to declare these things so unequivocally, but we do so today because they’re true. These are just the facts, y’all. Just the facts.

Christ is Lord.

Peter is not Lord. Christ is! “Upon this rock I will build my church,” declares Jesus. What’s the rock? Well, it’s not Philip the Tetrarch’s rock, though that is a nice backdrop for this lesson. Roman Catholics use this passage to defend the Papacy and in fact claim Peter as their first Pope. But all you have to do is jump ahead to Verse 23 (please do!) to discover one of many problems with that. Some Protestants claim that Peter’s faith is the rock, but I’d say that has its own problems too. I think the best answer is that Jesus is using a pun – a play on words – centered on Simon’s nickname (“Rock”).

Some people get really technical and claim that, because there are two different words for “rock” in this story, it must mean that Peter is a small stone – but Christ is “the Rock” on which the church is founded. Could be, but I’m sticking with this: Jesus is creatively communicating – with these men whom He deeply loves, and whom He wants never to forget this lesson – that Christ is establishing His church on the apostles and the gospel truth which He will leave with them (Jude 3). After all, without the correct knowledge of Jesus, there is no church.

The Hero isn’t Peter. Or us. Just Jesus.

Christ is Sovereign.

A sovereign is a ruler, a king, and a lord. Period. Holy Scripture refers repeatedly to God as the one who rules over all. God’s most common proper name, “Yahweh,” is regularly translated “Lord” in the English Bible. “Lord” in turn is found over 7000 times in the Bible as a name of God – and specifically as a name and a title of Jesus. (Sidebar: soak in the glory of Exodus 3:13-15, and consider that great text in the light of Peter’s confession of faith.)

 This is the conversation where Jesus promises that the church can’t and won’t be stopped! Why? Because we’re Christ’s Church! As a spiritual community being crafted for God’s glory, we are His called-out body of believers. Not even “the gates of hell” will overcome the church, and “gates” here is all-encompassing figurative language meant to wrap in every power and force of Satan.

Christ is Love.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Imagine that! What love is that! Jesus brings us into His plan of salvation. We become the instruments through which He shares the good news of Christ to the ends of the earth!

How do we know that they’re not just Peter’s keys? Because every Christ-follower is a fisher of men (and women). Every disciple is an ambassador of reconciliation. It’s humbling, but powerful, when we grasp that.

I believe that Jesus wants us to experience, and live in, such well-grounded amazement at His absolute authority over everything that we will give our lives to His seemingly impossible mission. May we hear His irresistibly gracious voice today, and respond with our whole being – willing to leave behind all security and comfort to expand the fame of the matchless Lord Jesus Christ!

Christ is Enough.

“Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” But here’s a literal translation: “Whatever you bind on earth SHALL HAVE BEEN BOUND in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth SHALL HAVE BEEN LOOSED in heaven.” See, you and I share the gospel of Jesus, but we trust the Lord with the results – now and for all eternity. Salvation is His enterprise – we’re just the good-news agents.

Carefully consider what Jesus further explains in Luke 11:52. The religious leaders were not content leaving the power to save in the hands of God, and the “lawyers” were adding so much tradition to God’s Word that they were making it impossible for people to find any saving truth at all.

Do you and I receive eternal life as the “reward” of our discipleship? Yes, but this promise should not be the only reason that we follow hard after Christ. There is an amazing story linked to the phrase, “I have decided to follow Jesus.” A believer and his family from Assam, India, were living in direct opposition to the chief of their very violent tribe. They were threatened with their lives unless they denounced their faith. Eventually, the chief killed the man’s two sons right in front of him. Then his wife. But the family’s faith was resolute – they would not forsake Christ. Ultimately, all were killed. But, after the bloodshed, the chief was so shaken by the power of Christ that he and his entire village repented and converted.

“Christ is enough for me.” We sing it, but do we mean it?

Christ is Ours.

He is our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. So, we affirm with David: “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.”

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes: “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Christ’s righteousness is already ours. His gift of faith is ours. And even His resurrection will be ours!

“Who do you say that I am?”

His with you,

Pastor Charles

Today I’m expanding on some thoughts which I shared Monday on Facebook. I hope you find them helpful as we seek to understand such a tumultuous scene at the national level.

Christian theology often speaks of “the world, the flesh, and the devil” as the three enemies of the soul. This makes perfect sense when you consider the temptation of Jesus (Luke 4:1-13). God’s plan to save a people for His glory would have been forever thwarted if the Son of God would have bowed to idols, or yielded to carnal desire, or acted on satanic lies.

And take a look at Ephesians 2:1-3. Apart from Christ and His radical work of grace in the human heart, we’re dead. Not just sick, and not just dragged down – but dead! And then take a peek at 1 John 2:15-17. The nature of sin hasn’t changed, and neither has the nature of temptation – in this example articulated by John as “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions.” World. Flesh. Devil.

If these principles are true in regard to temptation and sin – and of course they are – doesn’t it follow that our struggles as a people (Lord knows, we have plenty of them right now) might be 3-dimensional as well? Friends, I think that this is worthy of our time and prayerful consideration.

Let’s take racial division, for example. It makes sense that there would be a systemic (world) component. Here’s what I mean: our world is broken by sin, and that inherent brokenness manifests itself in broken systems. That’s why it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that every system is imperfect, whether we’re observing the judicial system, the post office, or the way in which I have my papers arranged in my drawer. Large or small, it doesn’t matter this side of heaven – the system always has its imperfections. So, in the area of race relations, let’s not pretend that we don’t have work to do, or room to grow – if we start the conversation on race with an arrogant attitude, it’s going downhill fast. And it’s terribly unwinsome in the public square.

Likewise, it makes sense that there would be a personal (flesh) component that always gets in the way of how I see (and regard) other human beings. In other words, we’re all guilty as charged. We all have our blind spots and shortsightedness with which to contend. I don’t mean that each one of us is as wicked as we could possibly be, but I mean that every facet of our personhood is tainted by sin. That means that we all struggle with a selfish bent toward considering our own tribe to be the best tribe. That’s who we are as people, and that’s what we do. Thankfully, our gospel frees us from self, and empowers us to live a life of service, openheartedness, sacrifice, and love.

Furthermore, it also makes sense that there would be a demonic (devil) component behind all racial strife. Jesus reminded us that our enemy’s mission is “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). It seems like Satan would be all about doing whatever he can to fill our cultural climate with hatred and rage. He stokes the natural (and national) fires of pride, racism, prejudice, and fear. We’re presently primed for that kind of societal explosion and meltdown. For you and for me, Jesus speaks directly into this: when we insult our brother, we’re in grave danger ourselves (Matthew 5:22). But when we keep the reality of spiritual darkness in mind, it protects our hearts from blaming our problems on “that other group of people,” and it reminds us that the biggest foe we face is not the person on the opposite side of a political debate.

Here’s where the church comes in: we’re the ones who understand these things! At least, we’re supposed to. We’ve got to remain hopeful, even in chaos. We’ve got to remain faithful, even in darkness. We’ve got to remain prayerful, even in the face of what can feel like a never-ending barrage of attacks against wisdom, reason, and order.

Because you and I are standing on God’s Word, we know that it will never be enough to change laws, policies, or even monuments without changing hearts. Our nation is bleeding, and our leaders in government are finding themselves more and more impotent, as people look to them to fix the mess. You and I are going to have to step in and help fix it, and that’s going to be accomplished most effectively as we share Christ – and serve others in His name – one person at a time. YOU can make a colossal and eternal difference in the world right now!

We also understand that it will never be enough to “change hearts” without humble trust in God’s power to do what we simply can’t do on our own (defeat the powers of sin and darkness). What I’m saying is that, even if we change people’s minds politically, that will not make for lasting peace. Because real peace is spiritual in nature, it only comes about between people as those same people experience peace with God. I know that’s an unpopular thought today, but it must be said. I’m not saying that we don’t strive and work for peace in the political arena – I think we should – but I’m reminding you that we can’t stop there: we’re the church!

The great Reformer Martin Luther described our enemy in vivid language. I thought we might benefit from a reminder from history: “Satan is by nature such a wicked and poisonous spirit that he cannot tolerate anything that is good. It pains him that even an apple, a cherry, and the like grow. It causes him pain and grief that a single healthy person should live upon the earth, and if God would not restrain him, he would hurl everything together in ruin. But to nothing is he a more bitter enemy than the dear Word; because while he can conceal himself under all creatures, the Word is the only agency that can disclose him.” Wow! I’m sure you get my point: we’re in way over our heads! Come, Holy Spirit, and help us believe and apply everything the Bible says!

People of God, let’s lead forward right now, starting with me – and starting with you. Here are some attempts to get that ball rolling, as we consider our own personal responsibilities to live as ambassadors of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

1. How can I work against racial division where I live and have influence? Give that some thought. Open your heart. You are uniquely you, and you are uniquely positioned to be a voice of calm in the storm. Be you, but be more than you – be who Christ has called you to be right now!
2. How must I change my views, speech, and actions in order to promote gospel peace and unity? If you don’t know what people mean by “white privilege,” get to work and do your best to read, study, and reflect. We can’t make a difference in the conversation if we’re ignorant, and we can’t make a positive impact if we unknowingly use inflammatory and divisive language. We’re gospel people, and – as I preached Sunday – the gospel is offensive enough. Let’s not add to the offense our own lack of preparedness (1 Peter 3:15).
3. How will I pray with desperation for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our nation and upon the body of Christ, for such a time as this? We can’t fix it – but we know who can! It’s that simple.

We better keep our identity as Christ followers thoroughly intact as we navigate these troubled waters, or we are sure to sink.

Swimming with you,

Pastor Charles

“It is not good that the man should be alone …” (Genesis 2:18).

COVID-19 has taken its toll on us. I probably didn’t need to tell you that. This pandemic has been so pernicious that it’s got introverts dreaming of taking the middle seat on a flight full of talk show hosts.

Here’s why I think the natives are restless: this just isn’t who we are! We’re people people at heart, and that goes for even the quieter types among us.

We were made for safety in numbers. Not safety in isolation. If you’ve ever gone camping in a place where bears roam the wild, you were probably warned not to wander off alone. For good reason, you needed a nature buddy. Similarly, God made us to look out for each other. Yes, we are our brother’s (and sister’s) keeper, like it or not. The Israelites had to become a community. The early followers of Jesus had to become a community. It’s just who we’re designed by our Creator to be.

We were made for sharing life together. The koinonia of the early Christians was much more than a Sunday gathering. It was spending time and breaking bread and praying for each other. They were devoted to each other, and they were devoted to the gospel, together. They were in it together. That shared identity, and the familial relationships that came with it, was worth living and dying for.

We were made for relational intimacy. In fact, we get sick without it. Johann Hari, in Chasing the Scream, observes: “Human beings have an innate need to bond and connect. When we are happy and healthy we will bond with the people around us. But when we can’t because we’re traumatized, isolated or beaten down by life, we will bond with something that gives us some sense of relief. It might be checking our smartphones constantly. It might be pornography. It might be gambling, etc. but we will bond with something … Addiction is just one symptom of the crisis of disconnection that’s happening all around us. We all feel it.”

We were made for humble interdependency. That’s part of our deep need for each other: it takes iron to sharpen iron. We are a living body, connected to our living Head, Christ. He is the source of our life, and that life is breathed into us in and through a spiritual community. It’s not that Christ can’t meet our needs when we’re alone, but it’s that Christ often chooses to meet our needs through other people.

Community is a glorious opportunity for you and for me, as Christ’s Church becomes our sacred tutor. In the sometimes painful stretching of each one of us, as we learn to embrace and serve each other, we experience our Lord’s grace in real life. And we grow into the life-giving and irreplaceable family we were always meant to be.

So here’s to you!

Pastor Charles